NYS Medicaid Spending Slightly Over Budget
New York’s Medicaid program spent $18 million more than projected through the first quarter of the state fiscal year, a rounding error in one of the nation’s largest Medicaid budgets.
The Medicaid program in New York State costs $63 billion and is paid for by the state and federal government as well as the 62 counties.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature set a cap on the state share of the growth, tying it to the 10-year rolling average increase in the Medical Consumer Price Index. This results in Department of Health having $962 million more to spend this fiscal year, increasing the state’s share of Medicaid spending to $19.5 billion.
Long term managed care was $15 million over budget, mostly due to higher than expected enrollment, according to the DOH monthly Medicaid report. Nursing home spending was $8 million over projections for the same reason.
Audits, however, were $29 million ahead of projections.
The Medicaid rolls in New York are declining, reflecting an uptick in Essential Plan enrollment and the improving economy. Enrollment increased 26 percent between 2011, when Cuomo took office, and 2017, but this year that growth has slowed and, for now, stopped.
There were 6.1 million New Yorkers enrolled in Medicaid at the end of June, about 17,000 less than there were in March.
The report can be found at: https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/regulations/global_cap/monthly/sfy_2017-2018/docs/june_2017_report.pdf